Method of binding sheets



July 1, 1930. J. E. FOU LKS 1368,594

METHOD OF BINDING SHEETS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Jan. 21, 1927 I .5. F0 [ks 03 W 7777* I July 1, 1930. J. E. FOULKS METHOD OF BINDING SHEETS Original Fi led Jan. 21, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w w 1?. f. I

Patented July 1, 1-930 entra n starts o A l TELNr JAMES E. ronLKs, on sa ren'rwarnias, new Yon-n, assrenon T0 GLiMAX'SATiQNE RYi COMBANY, me, or new roan, I\T.'IY., AcoRPoanrmn-or ew YORK ij METHOD; or BINDING srrnnrs Origin-a1 application filedJ'anu'ary 21, 1927 Serial No. 162,631. Divided an'dths application filed June 20;

1929. Serial No. 372,250;

This invention relates to the binding of loose sheets and particularly sheets ofdif ferent sizes and is for subject-matter di- V Vided from my co-pend'ing application filed ranged at the fold, although this is not 1ab-, solutely essential,with the ends of the strip January 21, 1927, bearirigSerial No. 162,631.

It is the object of the invention to provide animproved method of assemblmg and binding loose sheets into Vasheetbody and the mounting of the sheet body in a cover, and? to provide amethod by which loose sheets may not only be more readily and easily. bound, but 1n a less expensive and more efficient manner.

In carrying out the invention binders comprising strips oflaterally pliable and edgewise stiff and readily severable material areifolded upon themselves with a loop 'arextending in I parallel and contiguous relatlon, an abutment 1n the'form cit a pin being strip. The sheets to be bound are previously arranged adjacent to one edge with spaced perforations conforming to the cross sectional shape of the binders, the binders bemg engaged in said perforations to assemble the sheets thereon to form a sheet'b'ody with the loop arranged at the fold of the strips, or said loopengaged in the tubularv member, abutting against. one side of the sheet body-thesstrips being of a length to extend beyond the opposite side of the sheet body, The free ends; of the binder strips at, the opposite sideoi? the sheet body are then; severed to a predetermined length 'andea'ch en'dfolded upon itself hena longitudinally slotted tubular memberiis engaged thereon similar tothe tubular member engaged, uponthe loop at the fold"of -thestrimand an abutment pin isthenengaged in saidtubular' member to co-operate with' the folded strip} thebin ders ends to secure the .tubular'member; thereon and retain the sheets. assembled upon the binders. i Should {the sheets const tuting v the sheetbody so boundbe; of differentsizes the marginal portions oi the sheet bodyfa re trimmed and the bound sheets in such condl body-mounted therein.

1 Irom Which-the bi-iidersare formed; 1 v the strip, 5

tion may. be stored away for future'refer ence.

If desired, the sheet body @may be I mounted in'a cover comprising a back With l'ea-fjsections connected thereto, said cover being arranged with almedand spaced tub-1 ular niemb'ersm the region of the 1uncture ofthe leaf sections and the'back Withfwliich the tubular membersron the binders ofthe and then engaging pintles in 'thea lined-tubur lar members, said tubular members being in the nature of knuckles. V In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification Figure 1-is an end elevational View of a bindingbody showing the: arrangement of, a bound sheet Figure 2 is a cross, vsectional yiew pa, an

enlarged scale taken on the,,line' 2 -1-2 of F gure 1 lookingin the direction of the ar Figure 3 isa fragmentary sectional view taken on; the line I of lt igure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows."

Figuretis aperspiective View to'shoyv the mounting of the binders of thesheet body Onm unting plates arranged with spaced cover.

Flgure 5 7 mg the leafsectionsof the coverm open;

is a fragm entaryi e fiicl VlGW show:

when; members constituting a part pfthe i i position as well as the sheets o-fzzthe sheet.

body to. showthemanner. which a spread}:

ing force of the-sheets exertsa binding and I clampingforce upon the sheets of ,the 'sheet.

'Figur is anend elevationof a" binder -with the tubular members engaged thereon to. retainthe sheets in assembled position on;

, Figure ,7 s .a of the Figure Sis aperspetctiye view of 1 showing same i as arranged to. form the:

ends of the binders preparatory to the engagement of a tubular member or knuckle thereon,

In the embodiment of the invention the sheets S are first arranged with spaced perforations 19 along one marginal portion.

I These perforations may be of any desired number, four being inthe arrangement of binding means illustrated. The sheets are bound together by binders engaged in the sheet perforations to assemble the sheets on the binders to form a sheet body.

The binders comprise a-strip 23, as shown in Figure 7, of fiat laterally'pliable though edgewise stiff material, such as brass or copper, the strip .being foldedupon-itself and arranged with a loop portion 2% at the fold,

the two folded portions 25 extending in contiguous parallel relation from the loop portion, as shown in Figure 8. The sheets are assembled on said binders as shown in Figure 11 with the loop portion abutting against one side ofthe sheet body with the free ends extending beyond the'side of the sheet body opposite to that against which the loop portion of the binders abuts. The free ends of the binders are severed, as by a pair of shears, to a predetermined length extending from the said side of the sheet body. To assure the severing of the ends at the proper length a gauge member 26 is provided. This gauge member is constructed of a sheet metal, plate ofrectangular shape with a central slot 27 cut into one end and terminating within the body of the plate with the opposite end of the plate arranged with a reduced portion 30. The plate is folded upon itself so that the reduced portion 30 will overlie a portion of the slot 27, as shown in Figures 12, 13 and 14:. The

folded portion is bent to extend at a right angle-to the body, as at 28. In practice the gauge is engaged flat upon the sheet body with the projecting ends of the binder engaged in the slot 27 in abutting relation to the end of the reduced'portion 30, the ends of'the'binder being severed at a predetermined point so that the portion of the binder f ends extending from the top of the sheet body is equal'in length to the height ofthe.

bent portion 28'of the gauge. -The extended ends are thenspread or bent laterally and contiguously of the legs formed by the 'slot 27 of the gauge member at opposite sides of the said slot, as at a in Figure 13. The gauge member is then moved forward so that the reduced portion 30, which is in the nature of a projection or tongue, will overlie and be contiguous to the spread ends of the binder. The ends are then bent inwardly upon themselves over the projection or tongue 30, as at Z) in Figure 14c, when the reduced. portion of the gauge member is withdrawn from engagement within the bent ends and they are forced together by a suitable tool, such as a hammer, thereby forming an abutment against the side of the sheet body, as at c in Figure 15.

To retain the sheet body in assembled position on the binders, knuckles 31 in the form of tubular members having a slot 32 cut into one end and terminating adjacent the opposite end, are engaged laterally upon the ends of the binders with the loop portion 2 1 within one knuckle and the folded ends within the other knuckle, as shown in Figure 6. The size of the knuckles is such that they can be readily slid over the loop portion of the binders. In order that the knuckles may be engaged over the folded extended end of the hinder the folded portionsc are bent up to slightly curved form in cross section by any suitable means, as shownat (Z in Fi ure 16, when one end portion is folded or pinched together to permit of inserting the same into the slotted end of a tubular member or knuckle, as at e in Figure 17, and the material being pliable as force is applied to the knuckle to slide it onto the folded end of a binder the material will readily form itself for engagement in the knuckle. After the knuckle has been engaged upon the folded ends of the binder an abutment is engaged in the knuckle in interposed relation to said folded ends, said abutment being in the form of a pointed pintle 37 shaping the folded binder ends as shown at f in Figure 13 facilitating the ready removal and engage-' ment of the knuckle thereon. A similar pintle is engaged in the loop 24: of the hinder within the knuckle. These abutments firmly clamp the portions of the binder within the knuckles and secure the latter upon the binders and prevent any strain which may be .applied to the binders, as by moving the bound sheets to open position and applying a force upon the open and spread sheets, from pulling the binders from the knuckles. While it is not absolutely essential to apply a knuckle member upon the loop of the binders, it is preferable as it adds-strength to the binder.

'The method of binding as described is particularly adapted for the binding of loose sheets of different sizes and after the sheets have been assembled and secured upon the binders into a sheet body the irregular edges of thesheet body are trimmed or cut off in an ordinary paper cutter and thus squaring all of'the edges; The bound sheet body in such form may be filed away for future reference. v p

I hould' it be desiredthe sheet body bound on the binders as described may be mounted or bound in a binding body or cover as shown in Figure 1. For this purpose there is provided a binding body orcovercom prising a back 20 of curved form in ross section and a pair of cover sections or leaves 21 movablyconnected to the back, as at 22,

in the present instance by. a covering material, such as canvas or buckram, for the back and cover leaves, the back and cover leaves being constructed of a rigid material, such as cardboard or bindersboard. V a

To mount the sheet body assembled on the binders in the cover the latter is arranged with two rows of spaced and alined knuckles or tubular members in the region of the juncture of the cover leaves and the back with which the knuckle members 31:

on the binders are adapted to be'interlocked. For this purpose there is provided a pair of plates 33 having portions stamped therefrom to form recesses 34% extending inward from one longitudinal edge and the plate is arranged 'withtongue 35 the outer marginal portion of which is rolled to form the knuckles, as shown at 36. The plates so formed areiprovided with perforations 37' and connected to the back with the knuckles to extend longitudinally and vforwardly of the 'longitudinal marginal portions of the;

in the recessesfi in alined relation with the plate knuckles," when'the pintle 87 in the formofa rod is' inserted -into the alined openings in the knuckles, and in effectfprovides a hinged connection between the bound sheet body and thecover. By thislarrangement as the'eover leaves are moved to open position, as shown i rFigureii, the sheets or leaves of the sheet body spread to POS1 tion to lie contlguous to the cover and sub- 1 stantially flat and any pressure'which'may ,(itl' of the sheet body, or the compression force with which the knuckleinembershold the. 7 sheets of the sheetbody upon the binders, is

be applied to the opposite spread portions increased, this being due to the slightfiex- 1 ing of the binding in the direction of 'the members on the binders and the knuckle formed on the plates carried by the back ofv shown at 4:0 in Figure'Z.

strain and the'drawingofithe sheets more firmly together through the flexing: pull on I the binders. The forces of said pull is applied upon the sheets through the knuckle the cover.

The bound sheet body may removably mounted in the binding body bynnaking the pintle rod 37 of'such length so that one end willproject from the knuckleplate 36 atan end of the'plate. However, to prevent the ready removal oftthe sheet body from j thejcover the knuckle at the one end of the plates 33 is arrangedv as a blind knuckle, asshown at 89 Figure 3,and the pintle rods are ofless length than the knuckle carrying plates, and assaid rods are engagedin the knuckles they are driven therein byja suit-Y able implement so that the one .end will be in engagementwith the obstruction 'in-the end plate knuckle, and the other end of the pintle ,wvill terminate within the plate; knuckle at the opposite end-,ofthe plate, as

While I have illustrated one embodiment of a nic'thod'of binding loose leaf sheets in' a sheet body and the mounting of the bound sheet body in a cover it will be obvious that various modifications may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts with out departing from the scope ofthe invention and that portions of the invention may beused without others andcome within the scope of the, invention.

Having thusr described my invention, I

1. The method of binding loose sheets, which consists in perforating. the sheets adjacent to one edge tlflGIGOi-PI'OVlCllDg1181361? ally pliable and edgewiselstiff strips folded"- upon themselves, and engagingsaid strips in the sheet perforations to assemble the sheets I g i thereon into a sheetbody with the ends of the strip extending beyond the-sides; of-the assembled sheet body, engaging slotted tubular members; laterally onto the ends ofthestrips, and inserting pinsin the tubular members-toengage within the fold and between the opposite ends of thestripsgtosecure the tubularmembers on'the-ends of the strips. andf retain 'the'sheet body assembledi i 2.: The meth d 0f; binding lloose sheets,

which consists in perforating the e sheets ads jacentfjo one edge thereof, providing lat-j erally pliable and edgewise stiff strips. foldgf v efd upon themselves with a 'loop; arranged at the foldiand the ends; extending in parallel;

relation, engaging said folded; strips-into the sheet perforations-to aassenlble the sheets I thereon in asheet, body with the? looped folded portion of the strip; at OIIG SldG QOf '7 the sheetbody and the free endsextending from the, oppositesideyof the sheet body,

folding free ends upon, -themselves, en-

gaging slotted tubular members laterally on the looped portion and folded ends of the strips, and inserting pintles in the tubular therein to secure the tubular members on the strips and retain the assembled.

3. The method of binding loose sheets, which consists in perforating the sheet adjacent to one. edge thereof, assembling the sheets into a sheet body upon pliable strips engaged in the sheet perforations with the opposite end portions of the strips extending beyond the opposite sides'of the body, severing the extending ends at a predetermined distance from the sides of the sheet body, folding said severed ends upon themselves, engaging slotted tubular members laterally on the folded ends of the strips, and inserting means in'said tubular members to co-operate with the folded ends of sheet body the strips in said members to secure the members upon the strips;

4. The method of binding loose sheets, which consists in perforating the sheets adjacent to one edge thereof, assembling the sheets into a sheet body upon pliable strips engaged in the sheet perforations with the opposite end portions of the strips extending beyond the opposite sides of the sheet body, severing the extending ends at a predetermined distance from the sides of the sheet body, bending the severed ends 0011- tiguous to the sheetbody, folding portions of the bent ends upon themselves, engaging slotted tubular members laterally on the folded ends of the strips, and inserting means in said tubular members to eo-operate with the folded ends of the strips in said members to secure the members upon the strips.

5. The method of binding loose sheets, which consist in perforating the sheets adjacent to one edge thereof, assembling the sheets into a sheet body upon pliable strips engaged in the sheet perforations with the opposite end portions extending beyond the opposite sides of the sheet body, severing the extending ends at a predetermined distancefrom the sides of the sheet body, bending the I severed ends contiguous to the sheet body,

folding portions of the bent ends upon themselves, curving the folded portions of the ends toward each other, engaging slotted tubular members laterally on. the curved ends of the strips, and inserting means in said tubular members'to co-operatewith the curved ends' of the strips in said members to secure the members upon the strips.

7 6. The method of binding loose sheets, which consists in perforating the sheets adjacent one edge thereof, assembling the sheets into a sheet'body upon juxtaposed pliable strips of an edgewise stiff and laterally pliable material engaged in the sheet perforations with the opposite end portions of the strips extending beyond the opposite sides of the sheet body, and drawing the sheets of the sheet body into and retaining them in compact assembled relation by means'engaged between and upon the ends of the strips extended beyond'the opposite sides of the sheet body.

Signed at the city of New York, in the county of New York, and State of New York, this 10th day of June, 1929.

I JAMES E. FOULKS. 

